Has your child started reading without being taught by anyone? Is it easy for you to name letters and numbers? Can you read words even before you are able to speak correctly? Maybe he has hyperlexia and because of that, he has such a great advance in reading And that capacity is far from what is expected according to the age of your little one.
Understand hyperlexia
Hyperlexia is a syndrome characterized by the fact that the child feels an immense fascination for letters or numbers, in addition to presenting an advanced reading ability for his age. Hyperlexic children have a much more advanced reading level than children their own age. There are children who, at two years old, are already able to begin to read words.
Normally children who have hyperlexia and read words tend to have difficulties understanding or using spoken language correctly… and they cannot speak in the same way as other children who have not learned to read at such an early age.
Hyperlexic children do not learn to speak by following the natural procedure that other children do (by learning sounds, words, or sentences). They memorize phrases, sentences, or entire conversations that they see in everyday life or on television or read in books. In order to create sentences, these children dissect what they have previously memorized to create original expressions.
They tend to have excellent visual and auditory memories, which means that they are able to recall what they see and hear with some ease. They use their memory to help them learn language. They may have echolalia (repetition of words or phases without understanding what it means). Having this difficulty in speaking, they have communication problems and they do not tend to start phrases or conversations spontaneously.
Therefore, arrived here, you will have realized that hyperlexia is a syndrome characterized by a child's early ability to read and significant difficulty understanding and using verbal language with problems in social interactions. Children with hyperlexia can also have other conditions, such as sensory integration dysfunction, attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder, motor dyspraxia, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and / or seizure disorder, among others.
The presence of hyperlexia in the context of another developmental disorder reflects a difference in the neurological organization of the brain ... although a specific cause that provides a greater understanding of this disorder is not yet known.
Symptoms of hyperlexia
Like all disorders, hyperlexia can have some characteristic symptoms that allow you to suspect if your child may present this condition in its development:
- Early reading ability compared to other children his age
- Difficulty understanding and using verbal language
- Difficulty processing what has been said verbally
- Difficulty answering questions about: who, what, where, when and why
- Strong memory skills
- Learn to learn by heart
- Concrete thinkers
- Visual learners
- Insecurity related to transitions or changes in routines
Struggling with social skills (initiating conversations, holding conversations, taking turns, etc.)
Hyperlexia and Autism
Sometimes hyperlexia can be a symptom of autism. If your child has hyperlexia and also has autism, then they probably have trouble socializing too and behave in an appropriate manner. They may also have other features of autism, including for example:
- Self-calm behavior
- Self-stimulating behavior
- Ritualistic behavior
- Literal or concrete thoughts
- Difficulty understanding abstract concepts
- Normal development up to 18-24 months and afterward, regression begins
- Constant need to maintain routines
- If routines are not followed, you enter periods of extreme anxiety
- Difficulty moving from one activity to another
- Sensitivity to sounds, smells, or touch
- Unusual fears
- Selective listening (may seem deaf at times)
If your child learned to read early, is he hyperlexic?
All children who learn to read before their peers do not have to be hyperlexic. Some of them are gifted ... although this characteristic is not always recognized. Silberman and Silberman, who first used the term in their 1967 article "Hyperlexia: Specific Word Recognition Skills in Young Children". They described a continuum of reading ability with children with disabilities. Like dyslexia at one extreme, children with no reading problems in the middle, and at the other extreme, children who "They are able to recognize words mechanically at a higher level of instruction than indicated by their intellectual potential."
The problem with this analysis of hyperlexia is that it does not count for gifted readers, even though it includes them in the description of a type of hyperlexia. It's just another way that gifted behavior is "pathologized." That means people you are seeing a problem where there is no real problem.
How to know if your child has hyperlexia?
Perhaps after reading this article you now have doubts and want to know if your child has hyperlexia and how you can find out as soon as possible. You may find people who tell you that if your child has read too soon you need to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
But you need to remember that hyperlexia is a complex disorder. Early reading by itself is not a sign of hyperlexia. While hyperlexic children are fascinated by words and letters and learn to read without instruction at very young ages. Your understanding usually does not match your ability to recognize words. Also have problems with spoken language, they are often unable to put words together to express their ideas or understand the spoken language of others.
If it requires treatment, children with hyperlexia have a wide range of abilities. Treatment will depend on the severity of the cognitive, language learning, and / or social disorder associated with hyperlexia. Therapy will involve using the child's strengths. For example, use memory skills as a basis for learning new skills. Therefore, language learning can be supported by written language and once the child begins to understand verbal language, written language can be used less frequently. Other areas of weakness, such as social skills, will be explicitly taught and practiced.
If your child has symptoms of hyperlexia, see your pediatrician for an evaluation. However, if your child is simply an early reader, your best bet is to encourage him with plenty of opportunities to enjoy reading!